Problem
Disconnected Data and Cumbersome Workflows
A global electronics manufacturer known for its vast portfolio—spanning millions of components across 18 divisions—struggled with decentralization. Sales and technical teams relied on massive Excel files and Microsoft Access databases to manage product information and electronic circuit “recipes.” These made version control difficult and collaboration slow, especially across a distributed sales force and global distribution partners.
Their growing “recipe” database—each a reference design tailored for customer applications—had ballooned to 1,200 items, with 5,000 more pending. Each recipe could reference dozens of unique part numbers, and stakeholders needed fast access to ingredient-level descriptions and alternatives.
Complicating things further: tools like SharePoint were too rigid for frontline usage, lacked intuitive UI for global reps, and created roadblocks in data sharing due to IT governance constraints.
The result? An ambitious digital transformation stalled by platform limitations, manual workflows, and disconnected systems.
Q1
Solution
A SmartSuite-Powered Backend and Frontend Portal
The team deployed SmartSuite as the central platform to manage product data, automate lookups, and link part numbers to recipes at scale. Engineers used SmartSuite’s robust relational database and automation engine to simulate Excel-style VLOOKUPs—automating SKU-to-description lookups and reducing manual linking.
SmartSuite’s permission controls, table relationships, and automation triggers enabled scalable syncing between recipe records and a 6,000+ SKU product database. The team built out modular tables—ingredients, recipes, descriptions—and deployed SmartSuite automations to trigger updates without overwhelming users or requiring daily manual audits.
Q2
Result
Weeks Saved, Thousands of Records Structured, and Enterprise Buy-In Secured
SmartSuite became the backbone of a critical go-to-market system. Instead of manually linking thousands of ingredient records to recipes, the team automated the relationship logic—saving weeks of back-office effort and allowing engineers to focus on higher-value tasks.
The tool was formally presented to—and approved by—the CEO, transforming it from a side initiative into a strategic enterprise platform. Now backed by executive sponsorship and additional headcount, the system is poised to scale to 40,000 SKUs and expand globally.
The sales team, reps, and distributor partners now access up-to-date product and recipe data through a user-friendly portal backed by SmartSuite logic. Engineers can ingest new CSVs, trigger automated lookups, and push updates in real time—all within a controlled, audit-friendly environment.
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